


Function Freedom Renegade

by NebulaViburnum



Category: Scarlet Blade (Video Game)
Genre: Hurt, Love, Multi, Other, Sex, Violence, arkana - Freeform, comnfort, fight, warriors - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-10
Updated: 2014-10-16
Packaged: 2018-02-20 15:39:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2434079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NebulaViburnum/pseuds/NebulaViburnum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two arkana — one sworn to help rebuild humanity as a Royal Guard and the other sworn to opt for peaceful coexistence of both humanity and arkanas in a postapocalyptic world — Valeree the promising Whipper of the Royal Guards and Dewe the zestful Shadow Walker of the Free Knights meet. They have nothing in common at first. One side tries to hone their lifespan as pure fighters while the other side thinks there can be more to life but both Valeree and Dewe start respecting each other. However, Valeree tries to become cold and unfeeling due to the pressures of killing and Dewe becomes angry at all the human and arkana arrogance around her. What if they both wanted to quit? Will Dewe confess her growing affections for her Commander Satev? Will Valeree ever find out the twisted secrets of her Commander Erois? And what about Arkhan the leader of the Chaser faction Blade Fever? </p>
<p>Both these powerful warriors will fight for what they want, the might become free in a world where there is no place for renegades.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

 

* * *

**Function Freedom Renegade  
Chapter One  
Killing | Living** 

* * *

 

  
  
Like a prey waiting for a predator she waited. Actually, it was the opposite; she was the predator. Like a Venus Flytrap she waited. Though she hated the wait. The waiting was horrendous also this need to kill without much justification. Or, she thought it was rather because had no other way to tone this lust down? Whatever, it was, she had somewhat hated it because it felt insincere and too dangerous. Even for her ownself. But her Commander didn’t care or mention it so she has with strained politeness “ignored” it too. Though, she wondered why he was like that really. So, very joyous and so very happy. Like a laughing child? So, like her supposed class but so unlike it. Kind of scared her. 

  
“Quit dozing off.” In that cheerfulness there was admonition.   
“I don’t like doing this Commander.” She said.   
“What was that?” He laughed.   
“Commander, I am a Whipper surely I would be better off hunting the swarms of Lupis outside the Enocian gates. The guards are always complaining —”   
“Oh, the guards! Are you going to listen to them now instead of me!” There was that laugh. Then a bark: “Don’t be too cute for your own good Valeree! I am going to complain to Lota about you ok!”   
  
“But…” she mumbled, “I’m just…”   
  
“Trying to do my job for me.” He sounded annoyed, “See, I make the battle decisions you don’t. I don’t care if your class was engineered for fighting large scales of enemies. You will scout for spies.” then sweetly, “Is that clear?”   
  
“Yeah Commander, I guess.” She was very uncertain about him. Truthfully, she didn’t like the neural link to him — it was very calm; almost like a bad dose of blitz before it blitzed you out as she heard rumours about interrogated buzzards. And he was always thinking of something; a flicker here and there suggested it. Something felt very ominous about it. She sometimes felt her hand shake even though her whip was like her very own body.   
  
“There, look, Valeree…” He started slow, “Look! Look!”   
  
And then she noticed a Free Knights spy — hurrying along the plains near their junction of Enocia — taking cover among the Lupis. Making sure not to stand out too much. In bright Enocian light the black suit stood out more than the glaze of red that glowed from time to time. The spy carried a pulse rifle but had anchored it away. This meant she was meaning to do exactly what she was doing. Scout out the terrain.   
  
“Go, engage her in battle Valeree.” Her Commander laughed, “She looks weaker than you. One deep blow should do it.”   
  
Valeree hesitated again. Should her opponent’s apparent weakness be easily exploited like that? She was more into a challenging melee than a one hit affair and personally she found it...she didn’t know how to put it...but she got up and stood until she felt him saying, “Don’t dally you have lots to do. After this we might go trashing Lupis as you suggested.”   
  
Valeree made a run for it and with a scream alongside a twirling jump slashed into the air to make a current to disperse the Lupis and her arkana nemesis surprised, dived, rolled and fired a small blast that completely escaped her. Seeing her jumpiness and the unconcentrated power of her aim, Valeree realized that she was just a normal arkana who must be still green. Valeree twirled channeling her fiery chakra making her opponent lose her balance even though she evaded half of her knockout and though breathless managed to roll over twice and fire two better blows from the rifle that grazed Valeree’s thigh and hit a Lupis. A killed Lupis and a scorched piece of ground was all the damage the spy could do before she spun again, leg up like a flamingo perched and easy and hit the girl on her hip hard making her lose her footing and her lungs.   
  
Fallen, the spy, whose masked shield broken revealed a young face and an edgy stare, glared at Valeree. Her gun was around her but Valeree came forward and kicked it away: “I must say you have good talent but you are way below level for a Royal Guard, you Free Knight spy.”   
  
“Well, why don’t we go again.” She laughed, “I bet I can beat you with your own whip!”   
  
“Silence!” Valeree screamed, “You have been caught and now you’ll be behind bars in our Enocian jail you stupid knight!”   
  
“Kill her.”   
  
“What?”   
  
Her Commander repeated, “Kill her.”   
  
“But…” she whispered, “Commander, she is just…”   
  
“A spy. More lower than these floundering Lupis and Vespines — just get on with it; I want some coffee.”   
  
Valeree looked at the inexperienced arkana. Was she not of her kind? Could she… really, care less…? Could — “Get on with it.” the cheerful voice, the swirling flow of coffee…   
  
“I’m sorry.” Valeree whispered and the Free Knight scout’s eyes widened, she lunged for her rifle, friction of suit against grass as a fired charge of the whipper Royal Guard pierced into her armour, through her chest.   
  
The hand was just an inch away from the rifle. On instinct, or probably defiance, the hand fell on the gun and grabbed it but Valeree’s chained whip, pierced still, slashed deeper and with her eyes closed used her force and twirled the body and threw it across.   
  
The dead arkana eyes were still wide. Hand still on the rifle. Clenched. Her spirit had never surrendered.   
  
“Well done girl!” Her Commander cheered, as Valeree looked at the girl’s eyes, “Maybe, we should meet Idel. The Lupis will be busy eating up that fresh carrion; you and I can go buzzard hunting!”   
  
For a moment Valeree’s hand on her whip slipped. But then she caught it. Clenched it. Eyes wide she walked forward.   
  
Not turning back. But never really walking forward.   
  
  
  
  
Sometimes Commader Satev looked really confused. But she noticed that he mostly liked to stay as neutral as possible. She liked Satev because she knew there was so much more to him than people gave credit for. He just didn’t like speaking a lot. Yet, she had heard him speak earnestly at times and those times were quite nice. He seemed knowledgeable and kind; both admirable and strong traits. She had seen most Free Knights Commanders to be very arrogant or rude or well pretty much do this and do that people. Most of them did not interest her because they seemed so straightforward. They, with all their independence, lacked a crucial mark of personality. But they were able and thats what soldiers were supposed to be and their arkanas were like them. Very confident, very arrogant, very self-centered, very out there — they thrived in such aggression that it sometimes made her feel impotent. She shared their zeal but not their attitude. And the Royal Guards? Well, to her they were stiff too — while to her the Free Knights suffered from an excess of expression the Royal Guards suffered from a lack of it. They were duty-coded like a bunch of cheap drones. Or, worse those frighteningly deceptive Construct Dolls!   
  
She was having a difficult time. Not that was anything new. Her class was least trusted because of the camouflages and claws but even her fellow classmates looked at her with a frown. They called her the difficult Shadow Walker. And that’s a nickname even Commanders knew off.   
  
They didn’t want her. They didn’t want her with her weird ash-black hair and black eyes that were more large than the usual Shadow Walker genetics; her lips pouty but more of a curved crescent than a half moon. Their paleness indicated a more abnormal gesture as Shadow Walkers were usually quite pale and her pallidness reminded them of the dagger in the dark. Albinism — or close to it was their general consensus. The Free Knights Commanders who had interviewed her were all such sloths or idiotic to her that she did not like them. The more objective prone ones were choosing to make bonds with Medics or Defenders; the quirky or high flying ones decided the Punisher or Sentinel would be good for them. The Whippers usually drew a lot of ambitious humans. Shadow Walkers got very personal type of Commanders, ones that love to chase and hunt and well see the enemy face to face.   
  
However, some were sloths. Due to Shadow Walker already no-nonsense attitude they thought she was a class that needed less managing and restraint and unlike the Medic who must spend most of the time researching with her Commander the Shadow Walker knows her tasks pretty well and thrives in speed and damage. Getting her to do maximum capacity with minimum waste was a constant praise for her kind. But she had been different. Exploration was more her sort but not the usual can I see yours type of thing but like knowing the lands and just...knowing things...despite all their freedom she didn’t know what made them really different than the Royal Guards…   
  
Satev was very nice and as she noticed the difference when looking at her demo fight skills and seeing her take out dummies he asked one question that made heads turn: “How do you think that dummy feels?”   
  
“I don’t think it’s supposed to feel anything.” She answered.   
  
“Yes, but you are not like that. I can see a lot of feelings in you when you hit it but I think you should like manage it better. You don’t seem quite satisfied with yourself and this.”   
  
“Well, if you don’t mind but…” She had looked fiercely at him, “What does it matter?”   
  
“Well, I want us to know how we can work.” Then he sighed, “You’re right, what does it matter? But I do want us to be able to work together properly. I don’t want to be that dummy you just slashed. I have feelings as you.”   
  
And that got her attention.   
  
When they were heading to Enocia, he asked, “What’s your name?”   
  
“I don’t have one.” There was an embarrassment showing.   
  
“Your friends don’t call you anything.”   
  
“Well, yeah, ‘difficult’ or ‘diff’ for short. I don’t have a fixed or proper name. Some arkanas don’t. Mother usually leaves it to either ourselves to name ourselves or she chooses a name. I really wasn’t interested.”   
  
“If you would call yourself a name what would you name yourself from?”   
  
“Water, like Dew.”   
  
“Eh.”   
  
“Yeah, that sounds nice.”   
  
“What does?” Satev looked on.   
  
“You can call me Dewe. Dewe is my name then.”   
  
“Ok. “ Satev smiled, “I liked that Dewe.”   
  
And they had been very inseparable though there was a distance it seemed more out of confusion than anything.   
  
Though she yearned intimacy and felt he did too there was fear. And that fear lagged on like some busted tooth from one of the wilds.   
  
Dewe knew that maybe one day Satev will have to leave her. Or, maybe, she will run away first.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ralph looked angrily at Satev as he nursed the big scratch on Dewe’s right shoulder: “How long will you keep on playing nurse?”   
  
“You bring a Medic and I will shove this bandage in your mouth.” Satev coolly replied making Ralph growl.   
  
“Well, news for you I called Commander Erois over and his Whipper.” Ralph saw that Satev and Dewe looked at him, “I guess you needed the hand”   
  
“Let me get this straight. You called a Royal Guard jerk.” Satev looked in anger, “In case you haven’t noticed we are Free Knights and we caught Cherry some hours ago. Our tension is full frontal and you just invite that high ranking git?”   
  
“Hey, I need all the help I can get!” Ralph shouted, “Genesis Corp is a neutral company that has enlisted the help of both factions simultaneously; it’s in the company’s authorized legal contracts supervised by representatives from both sides!” Ralph smirked, “Besides Commander Erois is one of the best Commanders around.”   
  
“With those Guards yeah.” Satev just shrugged, “Ok, Ralph, exactly why did you call us here then. Aside the massive number of Dybbuks.”   
  
“Enocia is outrun by those filthy creatures.” Erois arrived with his Whipper. Erois always seemed to be smiling but beside his smile was always that uncertain feeling. His Whipper caught it mostly because amongst his peers he was too trusted thus these distinctions were more or less kept unchecked or really were unnoticed. “What more a reason to do a deed together that benefits humans.”   
  
“And what of the arkana risking their lives everyday to help us?” Satev questioned with an equal precision, “We need better caution if we are to be able to help them too. Besides most of the arkana here are newly registered in the field. These fledgling Dybbuks are still a challenge for them.”   
  
“Arkana were created for the sole purpose of benefiting the humans’ survival.” Satev saw Erois’ smile was gone and a moreserious and stern expression lay there now, “Humans are the prerogative before arkana to both of us no matter how we treat our ideologies further. It is known both to my Whipper and your Shadow Walker that their lives are going to be taken after the lives of humans in settlements. Why prolong a process they already know of? What will this extra attention gain them? Nothing my Free Knight friend. Remember, she is an arkana, not a old folklore princess waiting to be saved. You are not her Knight in shining armour; in fact she is your armour and blade. The princess is ours more or less in the shape of success and we fellow Commanders are each others’ dragons.”   
  
“Excuse me for not waxing allegory, but burning a candle on both ends is like a prolonged torture. I am a Free Knight and I have a responsibility towards my arkana. I don’t care what you think but I am not going to let Dewe risk her life needlessly.”   
  
“Can we just go and kill the Dybbuks?” Ralph asked, “Worse thing is there is Ghouls around too. You know worser than Dybbuks? And their numbers are also increasing; these outposts have more or less become like playgrounds of Dybbuks man. Not to mention I get to see those lovely Wormholes the entire day do nothing but scream and excrete stuff — dude, have you seen Wormholes mate?” Ralph shudders.   
  
“Something tells me I should never see that if I have a choice.” Satev looked so comically disgusted that Dewe laughed.   
  
It was the laugh that caught Valeree. She could never laugh so freely in front of Erois. Oh no, there was no restrictions per say in fact he encouraged her to be her natural self but for some reason his secrecies and the fact there was something unnatural about him made her stay away. But these two were so much in sync despite initial expressions of them being alienated. She envied them. Especially, this Shadow Walker who had a rather amicable personality it seems.   
  
“Mating Wormholes, pesky Dybbuks and rotten Ghouls; what a great assortment.” Erois laughed, “Don’t you think so Valeree?”   
  
“I rather not think about it Commander.” Valeree meeky answered, “All of these animals look too ugly to me.”   
  
“You’re right sweetheart, compared to you they are more like maggot growth.” Erois smiled and hugged Valeree, a first, that got Valeree to shiver in a sort of unexpected nervousness, but Erois seemed pretty content even in that loose hug, “So Commander Satev, ready to move out?”   
  
“As long as we plan our attacks I guess both our arkanas will be fine.” Satev shrugged, but then smiled at Dewe with a whisper, “This is quite unorthodox, all the other guys would want a report. Maybe Sati as well. Not to mention the human elders.”   
  
“I think your reports are nice Satev.” Dewe braved a casualness that was not their usual style of interacting, seeing that Valeree hug made her jealous because she knew Satev was nicer and more interactive than the cunning Erois. Oh yes, she saw it; she wouldn’t be a good Shadow Walker if she could not read body language but her special talent was that she read people very well and yes she knew something was off about Erois. Couldn’t understand what it was but obviously his own arkana knew it too. Something told her that being bonded with that guy was a creepy business indeed.   
  
But then Valeree was the most quietest Whipper she ever met. From both sides. But she did not seem well out of sorts like Erois. She actually looked more poised than Whippers whose class got easily bored and yawned when they sat around too much without killing things.   
  
Dewe faded and ran along ahead as she seemed faster paced than Valeree, “Uh, listen Valeree ummm.” Dewe started, “Why don’t I investigate the concentration of mobs and then tell you which ones are good then I can attack them from the flanks while you go in and well do your whip thing.”   
  
“Sounds perfect to me!” Valeree actually gave a big grin, she was liking that Dewe was tactical rather than just condescending and well, reserved.   
  
“Don’t be too nice she’s your enemy.” Erois sounded heavily annoyed.   
  
“Commander, that is the best strategy I am seeing.” Valeree talked back without much reserve herself.   
  
“You are right that Shadow Walker isn’t so bad after all.” Erois sounded amused and for some reason Valeree felt an odd emotion in her head as though there was something subtly ecstatic, oddly it was not from her drives to fight rather it felt more for Erois. What a complicated man…   
  
Dewe slashed and hacked from the flank each move precisely executed and each dodge like a ballet, well timed, well maintained; Valeree was quick to notice that she had an excellent battle tempo even for beginners like themselves. Valeree had, on the other hand, a good resilience. The crowds of Dybbuks were overpowered by this dual team of timed slashes and a flurry of whipping tearing across them. Not to mention the Dybbuks had her senses addled by drugs thus it was hard for them to keep up with Dewe who faded and reappeared quite nicely. Though she still got stung by a couple of the blitz beasts. Valeree used strong twirling attacks but then switched to longitudinal bursts of whipping for it seemed to work well. But a Dybbuk hacked her from the back making her lose balance and fall. She perched up a bit and did brush the ground knocking the roaring blob and soon Dewe came and clawed it out!   
  
“You ok?” Dewe actually gave a hand helping Valeree up.   
  
“Yeah thanks.” Valeree genuinely smiled. Despite their different strengths their syncing was good. “Your Commander must be proud of you; you are so fast!”   
  
Dewe blushed at the compliment. Her mouth slightly agape. No one complimented her before, “Thank...Thank You!” Dewe grimned, “I like how you tear up Val — it’s a good control over your weapon!”   
  
“Val?” No one called her that before.   
  
“C’mon lets take out those Ghouls!” Dewe faded and went ahead.   
  
“Hey remember, they are caustic and really poisonous!” Valeree followed.   
  
Taking out the Ghouls seemed easier in a way. They moved a bit slower than Dybbuks but they seemed stronger and more aggressive: “Why are they called ghouls?”   
  
“Ghouls are usually very conspicuous ghosts; they are usually also secretive of substances that are also pathological to living things. That is the standard mythology.” Dewe explained.   
  
“Look at them a blitz furnace capable of anaerobically produce blitz and secrete the fumes look like a very bad kind of bong if you ask me.” Valeree looked stunned, “I never studied about ghouls before.”   
  
“They are typically folklore and not large mythologies of ancient civilization. Satev usually tells me factoids when we are not on duty.” Dewe stretched out and flexed her muscles.   
  
“You have a good amount of free time.” Valerie spoke non condescendingly, “My Commander usually has me…”   
  
There was a tug.   
  
“Valeree, what are you doing?”   
  
“What was that?” Dewe asked.   
  
“Well, I usually scout out areas and come across the spies that the Knights sent. You know…”   
  
Dewe looked on, slightly smiled, “Then you must be busy then. A lot of Free Knights beginners like scouting and stuff. Don’t worry too much they are all just show offs more or less; the ones near Enocia anyway. They are not arkana like us you know who gave interviews. They probably will in future or not. I guess it depends on a lot of things.”   
  
“So, basically, they are non threatening.” Valeree was looking pale and for reason her eyes started to sting.   
  
“Yeah I mean. From what I know.” Dewe said, then grinned, “Are you going to report Mother about this?”   
  
“No.” Valeree answered, her eyes on the ground, “This can stay between us. I would be a bad ally to rat you out so easily.”   
  
Suddenly, Valeree got up and screamed and charged surprising Dewe who looked pretty much unprepared, “Hey, wait up, those things are dangerous! You warned me! Uh, I’m coming!”   
  
Valeree started spinning and shrieking while she attacked the giant bong and it huffed and puffed and blew her down soon died of the excessive lacerations that made emplode and burst like a balloon. Valeree skin hurt due to the caustic secretion that had spilt on her. She slowly got up and breathed heavily. There was something akin to shock in her face.   
  
“Valeree?” Erois voice was soothing and soft, he was being quite soft and calm, “Are you ok my sweetheart? What happened? Are your lusts getting a bit impatient? Your heart is throbbing too much…”   
  
She didn’t understand. She was in a daze. As though she herself was blitzed.   
  
“Yahhh!”   
  
That voice woke her up as she saw Dewe slash and tear up good locations on the Ghoul and it burst like a tyre and she flipped and dodged and landed softly on the ground, “Val Commander Satev just told me that this bunch is being helped by a Ghoul Overlord.”   
  
“What’s that?” Valeree gathered herself but her eyes looked tired.   
  
“Uh, are you ok Val?” She approached, kind of cautiously.   
  
“Just tell me what it is!” Valeree barked scaring Dewe who raised her hands in defense. “I’m… I’m sorry, I…”   
  
“Hey, sit down.” Dewe touched her shoulders carefully and made her sit on a clean spot on that decaded earth, “Satev was telling me that these Overlords are the main blitz secretors and distributors. Well, we can’t take out all of them but let’s get many as we can.”   
  
“Ok.” Valeree’s breathing leveled as they both got up and started a slow sprint uphill.   
  
Erois was eerily calm but very tensely quiet. Satev on the other hand: “Don’t get too chatty with the Guard Dewe. You didn’t have to tell her about our Enocian spies you know Mother is a vengeful **** she’ll kill even the smallest Free Knight if she can to win this war. You know the Guards they thrive at being machines of war.”   
  
“What I saw right now was not a machine.” Dewe whispered.   
  
They reached the Overlords who looked bovine and harmless as a bunch of grazing buffaloes. Dewe camouflaged herself to study them closer, “Yup.” she looked at one’s abdomen keeping at least a 10 metre distance, “Those are like sick furnaces. More potent than the normal ones. We better be careful Val.”   
  
Valeree took a sharp breath. And the attack began. Valeree kept a minimum distance but Dewe being a clawed soldier had to get closer so she had to be very careful on how she executed herself. “Dewe, don’t rush too much, keep a jogging like pace nor else you’ll be blitzed and you know Free Knights have strict rules on drug usage.”   
  
“Yeah but I see most humans getting high on leaves.” Dewe laughed out as they took out another Overlord.   
  
“Valeree, don’t overwork yourself.” Erois was starting to sound really concerned, “You feel very tired. Slow down.”   
  
But Valeree couldn’t slow down. There just was nothing to slow down for.   
  
“Ahhh!” Valeree heard the scream as Dewe got grabbed by the last Overlord in that location trying to swallow her in its furnace.   
  
“Dewe!” Valeree and Satev both screamed.   
  
“Val, this one’s raging hot! I think it’ll implode by itself!” Dewe yelled as she felt the singe of hot blitz.   
  
Valeree stared and then a part in her snapped, “I am not going to kill you too!”   
  
And she raised her whipped grabbed the Overlord’s head and thrashed it near a tree where it exploded into bits of gluey mucus and Dewe was on the ground. Minor bruises. Major none.   
  
She got up and was about to call out when she saw Valeree drop her whip, vomit and fall to the ground.   
  
“Val!” Dewe was going to run to her when their Commanders came each with a Medic. Though the Royal Guard Medic looked like she had level 25 clearance.   
  
“Dewe, I was so worried about you.” Satev hugged her earnestly but Dewe looked on as Valeree was put into a golden projection and carried off. A mass of red hair came out of her untangled ponytails.   
  
There were tears coming from her closed eyes.


	2. Wish | Escape

 

  


 

 

When they both looked at each other they didn't think they recognized each other or themselves.

At least not the way they were trained to recognize themselves. And recognize their enemies.

The Free Knight did not wish to kill the Royal Guard.

The Royal Guard did not wish to kill the Free Knight.

There was a knowing between them.

They were more than friends now.

They were true allies in this expulsion.

They were now enlightened.

 

Dewe sighed, "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"For the last time, Valeree. Don't make me hurt you...or, is this what I want too hmph..." Erois came in snatches now, flimsy and static like. 

"Dewe." Satev just sounded concerned unlike playful and calmly odious Erois he was genuinely concerned. 

Dewe smiled.

Valeree smiled.

"I got this miracle drug that if used with Stardust we might make it." Dewe talked a bit slowly, "The prior blitz wave is heading out so let's do this fast!"

Dewe activated the EMP burst and for a moment there was a 

BANG

Valeree felt the light suck out of her. Pins and needles. She screamed and screamed and blood sprang.

Dewe was in in the same case.

Soon there was silence

 

The Royal Guards sharpshooters and blademasters were more quick than the Free Knights’  quickrunners and sentries though it was said that those mechanical objects or complex AI were more stronger than most arkana.

 

Valeree thought they were evenly matched. She liked the quickrunners because they were more tactile and infiltrative than normal asherah models and they could engage well enough. Though she preferred the blademasters and sharpshooters more because it was better to have more arkana around than complex AI.

 

Though she liked the quickrunners the sentries were too big and a bit too much like Shadow Army’s mechanized units. Also Royal Guards’ had innovated the two new types of arkana the blademasters and sharpshooters — they were hybrids as Faye said. The sharpshooters were hybrids of Sentinels and Punishers while blademasters were a combination of Chasers, Defenders and Whippers.

 

From what she learn from schematics the Sentries of Free Knights were also modelled to be a bit like Defenders and Punishers and the quickrunners of Shadow Walkers nimbleness but a Whipper’s tank sort of approach in dealing things.

 

While Royal Guards thought it necessary to hybridize arkana Free Knights thought it best to invest in AI because they thought arkana evolution would happen in its own natural time also good to invest in technological AI more. Yet Valeree thought that Free Knights also like industrial technology more anyway. Furthermore, the arkana genome parameters being spliced some more may not be a Free Knights’ initiative at the moment as it might make more costs and also if Free Knights’ want arkana competition and/or freedom they decided to do so with their already altered selves. Valeree did not mind the Royal Guards’ hybrid methodology because it was not so different from smarter AI initiative of Free Knights, at least to her. The hybrid arkana lacked bonding that elites had said they were good for meager jobs thus their training and nano-chip implants were more minimal than veteran arkana. They died, yes, whereas AI’s don’t but then again arkana of both sides who move through the field more die more than the ones stationed at base. The blademasters and sharpshooters were not really field agents and from what their lifespans being so tampered with they never would be. Both Free Knights and Royal Guards agreed that these auxiliary battalions are to remain auxiliary because they did not have the skills or the mindset (apparently) to fight more than required as post security of a fixed location.

 

Valeree did not understand why the Royal Guards did not opt for AI or Free Knights opt for their own blademasters and sharpshooters because an equal distribution of both sides may be more logical.  Yet no one really questioned it and these thoughts she thought secretely; her commander could access her more conscious decision making thoughts but not her monologues or what she perceived without her voicing it out loud. A mystery of the mind; the mind is itself designed to perfection by the Creator to be more private sanctum than public bathhouse and she was so grateful it was because frankly she hated Erois in her head.

 

Erois was to her a noncommittal and tricky piece of shit.

 

“How are you liking Nemesis?”

“Are there things to actually like Commander? It’s the major conflict zone even Genesis Corp seems reluctant to many expeditions here.”

“I thought you would like the zest and fire of the actual battleground.”

“I like the challenge obviously.”

‘But?”

“But it seems like a world of its own I think all the soldiers hear has forgotten about Enocia, Mereholt and Barbiron and all other places.”

“They haven’t really forgotten about Scylla and Charybdis.”

“Yeah but that nuclear wasteland is more creepy than Mereholt and Barbiron I mean sewage and toxin has made so much new kinds of poisonous plants and life forms there.”

“Yes, it is trickier place to travel that is why the Shadow army has sent more elite agents there. To survive there is hard.”

 

“I wished…” Valeree pointed out, “That more land reformation was being done. Mereholt is so pretty in places and even  people could start living there. If Shadow army infested places were mitigated people could also live in Barbiron as some soil in Barbiron is more fertile than Mereholt’s or Enocia’s but no one is interested —“

 

“Would you kindly shut your mouth?”

 

Erois said it playfully but playfulness was his deceit. “Why?” Valeree may have done her work but she was rebellious.

 

“I don’t get it I shock you at times, minor ways, but you are still so rebellious…”

 

With that came an electric shock that riveted her body. It was sharp blue light. A neaby Medic got a bit quiet and walked on as though she didn’t see anything; a Chaser joined her. The noble Whipper saw them holding hands — was it solidarity but also romance?

 

“Fuck you Erois!” she screamed out loud making the duo almost sprint.

 

“I really love it that you get angry at me.” Erois looks a bit more subdued, an admirable sensation roamed through him and Valeree sickly felt it, “You know I only punish you as protocol but also it is my encouragement but I can’t have you killed Valeree.”

‘You are a fucking leech I hate you and I hate that we got bonded.” Valeree screamed and did a large crashing attack that fluttered her whip and made a demolishing effect on nearvby rocks and some smaller animals such a furry lizards seemed to die or get drastically wounded by her attacks.

 

Valeree got quiet seeing the tormented animals; she had caused deaths not even on a mission and she felt sorry.

 

Erois was quiet.

 

“Valeree, do you really hate me?”

“That’s self-explanatory, I just said it.”

“Would you ever love me?”

“Why, you don’t do anything to deserve love. You have used me as a tool and I am gonna say I wasn’t very happy about it.”

“All Royal Guards use arkana as tools and despite their pretense so do the Free Knights…”

“Maybe, but I am not happy about that because you take pleasure in it so much as though it’s so personal and it’s yours but I am not.  If you are incompetent you can be replaced as me. Don’t forget that Erois. I am more valuable than you will ever be.”

 

Erois laughed, “Well said…” but it was a small, quiet laugh, “So, well said.”

 

“You think I am merely being amusing; it’s true I do not dress lavishly and I am not fully human and to test Whipper’s tank mechanism and endurance our armour is quite thin and I may seem gaudy and not elegant as Lota or Faye or even Cecile and Cheryl but I am not merely being amusing.”

 

“You are not. I never claimed it. Your clothes may express something but it is not solely you.”

 

For a moment, in the back of her head, Valeree felt a surge of hormones — XY kind but not so intense, but becoming intense but also so calm and caring…then she felt a kiss in her head…as though it was a kiss to her forehead but then it slowly became a kiss to her cheek…he moaned…and Valeree eyes grew…This again…?

 

“Hey, fraternizing between arkana and human like this while they are bonded is totally against regulations and I may be rebellious or what not but I ain’t having it!”

 

She pushed him aside in her mind making him look hurt and sad…

 

“Valeree let me…”

 

“No fucking way.”

 

“Valeree we made love once…”

 

“No, you just had sex with me and I allowed it because I thought maybe we can be something but you are always using me as tools so I am not gonna do anything to further that concept or action, thank you very much.”

 

“You are never a tool Valeree. You are always more, more and more…”

 

“Yeah waxing poetic isn’t going get your fix Erois I can complain to Lota and she will take me seriously you want sex go to Delilah Lounge or fuck Cecile because she loves you like anything.”

 

“I can go and fuck each bitch at Delilah, hell even Dexter of the Free Knights but I am not gonna make love with any of them Valeree. That’s only for you, that is always only for you…”

 

That made her skin crawl.

 

“Don’t ever talk to me like that you bastard!” Valeree snarled, “ I am never gonna care about you.”

 

‘I will make myself worthy then.” Erois smiled and she hated it.

 

“You can’t stop even giving me minor electrocution and you want me to like you how sweet.” Valeree was a whip of sarcasm and rage now, “Don’t kid yourself you rather ram yourself into Faye for all I care.”

 

“You talk too liberally Valeree you forget that neither Royal Guards nor Free Knights want philosophers but want obedient soldiers. If I don’t curb you, you are going to mouth off to the wrong people and then you will get us both decommissioned. You know that Free Knights value ambition that corresponds to their interests. Royal Guards at least do not feign freedom under such convoluted fuck. I am supposed to look out for you. I am always going to.”

 

“Erois, you can value me as a person and talk me out of it. You don’t have to treat me as this.”

 

“Yes, true, you are right. I am sorry —“

 

“You prefer controlling me. But you don’t or can’t and that kills you.”

 

“I don’t wish to control you Valeree. I wish to control a situation.” Erois asserted in a whisper, “If I am a good commander hurting you and making you work I can easily get away with a lot of things.”

 

Valeree found that confusing, “How does help me?”

 

“It doesn’t. I am sorry. I will try to lessen it.”

 

“I don’t care. I am not speaking to you about my mind, I hardly do nowadays. You are a stupid asshole and I hate you very much.”

“Curse me all you want I deserve it!” She suddenly felt Erois hug her in her mind, “I am not letting you go easily, I want you always.”

 

As usual Valeree pushed him away and walked off and just stated where she needed to go. She was loath to do anything with the fucker, creepy sadomasochistic git but she knew that she had to do her mission at least. Her work was more crucial was it not? Also, when an arkana works a commander must also work hard to do justice to his arkana and his faction and if Erois was a good little boy or played that card she knew he would not ignore anything valuable to do.

 

On her own accord she went to Cecile, “Got any actual assignments for me today? Been her a week and did a lot of commendable work.”

 

“Yeah I do not how it was in Caergate and Viledon but over her self-nomination means nada express jobs.”

 

“You act as though you are above people in Caergate and Viledon you think all those girls and boys will like hearing that?” Valeree raised a brow, “Because both Caergate and Viledon helps shape your veteran soldiers here if not all, many and Caergate and Viledon helps fund a lot of Nemesis operations so don’t say you don’t care what they think.”

 

Cecile was taken aback and nervous then barked: “Stop being a wise guy okay! Nemesis is larger than Viledon and Caergate combined also Caergate is just now a supply port and Viledon a larger communications racket with Genesis Corp you should have stayed in either of those places because basically we only need committed soldiers for Nemesis it is a direct station, a direct battleground. In Caergate infantry is thin and so are troops, Viledon has a larger base of operations but its most assessment is at the neutral settlement. Over here there is hardly any neutral site or safe haven and basically it has so many hard hitters around and you wanna walk big and think you can conquer Nemesis.”

 

“Well, I can kill Nemesis mice but I can also do more and I can’t prove myself without you authorizing a mission because then it will be plain insubordination right — that’s how you will report it I know your type.”

 

“How dare you raise an accusation on me?!” Cecile looked livid, “I can court-martial you anytime! An arkana exiled from the battlefield is a lifelong  disgrace!”

 

“That in itself is a disgrace and you wouldn’t dare carry out that threat! You need able arkana and I am one!”

 

“Ability has to be assessed.”

 

Erois came walking in a white suit. Valeree starred in shock. Erois was in Nemesis as in in-body?

 

Of course Cecile’s shock waned to cooing and flirting, “Oh Commander Erois! What a pleasant surprise I will task some sharpshooters and blademasters and widowmakers for taking care of your safety!”

 

‘That won’t be necessary sweet Cecile by own assigned arkana can take care of me.” Erois smiled.

 

‘I won’t be in base unless you are telling me to be your bodyguard commander.” Valeree almost snapped at him with an irritated face making Cecile fume angrily at her.

 

“No, you have missions to carry out Valeree I will enjoy my tea with Cecile. I was hoping that my coming nearer will allow better bonding chip function and to be honest I have decided to come to Nemesis after a long while.”

 

Wait, Erous has come to Nemesis before? With who? Is it safe for humans to travel here with all these creatures and killing stuff just walking around?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valeree had clumsily dragged Dewe because after that there was no way they were properly walking.

She took amounts of the miracle drug and saw almost in cataracts type of vision. 

"Dewe..." she struggled it out, "It'll take a long time to survive this." then painfully added, after some minutes, when her breath was not out of itself, "If...survive..."

She collapsed under a tree.

Dewe next to her.

 Erois felt the slap.

Hard and wincing.

Lota was furious, "That bitch was always a hard one to maintain. I gave you to her so that you can tame that empathy out of her now she has severed your connection and fucking ran away with a Free Knight for crying out loud!"

The furious Lota screamed in rage and started breaking things in her chamber. The guard sentry was afraid, Vera and Laura came afterwards as immediate assistants to Lota it was their duty to shield her from harm. Laura was usual was bit cool but Vera seemed a bit terrified at the anger that showed itself.

"Are they lovers?" Lota said this a bit patiently, while grabbing Laura and almost choking her.

"No. Not that I am aware of. Valeree prefers males more. Dewe may be an exception as a sexual experimentation."

Erois had not lost much of his coolness, that granite composure; though he caressed his cheek a small smile was somewhat playing on his lips. It was a bit bright, a bit malevolent.

“Then why the fuck does she like that Free Knight Shadow Walker so much!” Lota was strangling Laura who had started to foam from the mouth.

Vera screamed and attempted to get her out of harm's way, “Please Mother, let Laura go, for God's sake please!”

Lota threw Laura across the room and she hit with a cracking noise; some bones may have broken. Then she punched Vera twice on the face leaving her bloody and purple struggling for breath.

She walked angrily towards Erois and grabbed him and kissed him savagely.

Lota pulled at his semi-l;ong blonde hair and pinned him almosr against herself,. Erois didn't seem to stop her nor put up a fight.

After a kiss that almost cut of his air supply (where he intermittenly closed his eyes and at times stared) he was released with a pressure in his lungs and started coughing and wheezing.

Lota then grabbed his dick, “You are so petulent. So, urghhh, unbelievably notoriously a tease Erois. What can I do with you?” Cock was forgotten and soon she just embarced him. “I want that Whipper found. If possible if she survived I want her dead or alive for experiments. But if she is dead, feed her where nothing remains.”

“Of course, dear queen.” Erois returned the embrace.

Thinking that two years ago, Lota had slapped Valeree for her mental breakdown at that mission, near a Buzzard stronghold. Telling her that she would be incinerated if she didn't become a better, a more deadly weapon.

Now, Valeree has escaped. Erois stroked Lota's hair. He smiled a big smile. Only a devastated Vera saw the malice in it and was too hurt and at that time scared to question also she was too occupied helping an unconscious Laura up and taking her to medical.

Valeree, you will be stronger than most. I am so proud of your waywardness. You are going to be stronger than this infertile pig, he stroked Lota's hair and they tenderly kissed, you will be a warrior and a great instrument in the plans to come. This world will change. And you are a factor of that change.

Arril waited for Erois in his room.

When he entered she embraced him and kissed him. Erois for a moment just smiled then kissed back.

“So, was Mother in heat again?” She playfully laughed as she stripped and beckoned him on his bed. “I will give you time to recover sweety.”

“That’s generous of you.” Erois and Arril had already started their tryst with kisses and other activities, “Thank you for all your information sweetheart you know I cannot live without it.”

“Mother would be so furious to know you had me spying on her.” Arril laughed.

“Does she notice anything my dear.” Erois snickered.

After a while of making love Erois hauntingly uttered, “Neither do you.”

The dagger sliced across the abdomen and blood burst out.

Then it hit right square, purposefully, in the chest.

Arril’s eyes looked shocked. Hurt. Betrayed.

“I guess they are right…” Erois slowly touched Arril’s face, a bit soft as though he was still being attentive to her, “You can die of a broken heart.”

Getting up from bed he decides to go to the shower to rinse off all his blood splattered abdomen and torso.

“So, don’t break mine Valeree.” Chuckling he turned the water on, cold and frigid as his own existential makeup.

Valeree was feeling like death.

Nothing made sense.

Her head banged inside as an implosion.

She wanted to cry because she wasn’t sure if Dewe was alive or not.

If she isn’t…I’m…I’m alone…

She tried not to think about it.

Shadow Walkers were less resilient than Whippers although more persistent. She thought Dewe was so different. And she knew Dewe was but this was so uneasy a situation.

Oh God, Please let her be alive!

Dewe started coughing.

Valeree jumped out of both relief and fear.

She helped Dewe drink the concoction of miracle serum and stardust and soon the Shadow Walker was doing it herself and looking stronger than Valeree.

Valeree realized that Dewe’s natural evasive body and chakra may not be minimizing the effects of the shock though it was also her God given will to survive. That spirit that Valeree always adored.

Nemesis was a bit quiet now. Though Valeree heard the patter of here and there creatures and guards.

Two years she had been a good soldier. Now it was almost six months in Nemesis and she and Dewe became more inseparable than before.

No longer was she ignored or avoided. Now she was everything to her and Valeree was the same to Dewe. They had broken contact. They rejected their factions. A serious offense.

It was not really a romance. It was their spirit that clawed and shredded out. They could no longer be automatons.

They had evolved.

“Nemesis is dangerous.” Dewe gave her the bag and Valeree drank, “We can’t fight in this position our armour is also torched parts of it that we left on.”

“I couldn’t bring the rest I am sorry.” Valeree was breathless, “It was easier in theory. We took them off to cut conduction and ensure good comeback but…it’s too hard to carry and…”

“I understand…” Dewe recovery was more noticeable, comforting, though Valeree herself was drained her friend’s regeneration rate was an inspiration, courage, a hope. Thank God, she is here, Valeree thought with her lungs feeling so heavy and saliva and sweat feeling so out of order with herself, I know that I am not so high on morale. I thought once the Free Knights would be but they are also equally passive about the ways of the world. What Iron curtain, what house of representatives separates us from everything that can be fostered, nurtured and known?

“Maybe Arkhan won’t mind… won’t mind having us…” Dewe smiled. Her smile weak but subtlely very strong as in determined, persistent, consistently pursuing…Valeree really admired that about her. That she was so non-static. Though Valeree was a bit more practical at times.

“If we go to Blade Fever faction of those Chasers or Cyberblades as they also like to be called it would be a disaster.” Valeree was talking a bit more normally though there was a strained tension in her, “Blade Fever is a Chaser only faction. They don;’t do well with females. Or any humans of any sex for that matter; they were a bunch of deserters or traitors and I don’t see why they would help us. So many arkana die in Nemesis

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arril’s murder was not unnoticed.

The event was considered a normal thing at the tides of impending war. A Free Knight weapon they said. A dagger they said, gotten in by probablt a spy that had a run in with Arril and surprised her. She was not really a battle arkana so the results they thought were inevitable.

Lota did not weep as a standard instructor arkana;s loss meant more cloning. They would, if possible, clone Arril again or design a sturdier arkana as an instructor.

Vera did cry.  She and Arril had worked somewhat closely. Laura was griefstricken as in more silent. Many arkana were respectful.

Erois just commented to his mysterious construct,  Haziel, the one he had salvaged from a fuel mine tunnel, the one that was endowed with insanity, “I think you would want to twist her pretty neck huh.”

“Not really.” Haziel looked on, a flicker of excitement in her empty eyes, “You do this so well Sir.” She got on top of him. Erois smiled and kissed her. A construct does have modifiable parts and Haziel loved sex. Erois didn’t care but it was a good ditraction from keeping him looking as a normal pervert or human. Frankly, he never cared.

Lota found it good cover. Though it may be open secret to some that he and Lota fucked Lota preferred a cover because she thought it playing out a part and Erois didn’t care what she wanted as long as Lota was happy with him because he preferred it that way too.

Yet he pushed Haziel aside and laughed, “I will find you Valeree.” Then he smiled so intently, “Only you matter in the world.”

 

 

 


End file.
